The Marauders at Hogwarts: Year One
by Mavyan
Summary: Pretty much what the title says, this story is about The first year at Hogwarts for James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. There's also lots of other characters you'll recognise! Please Read and Review! : I'm back after a year! ...And determined to finish!
1. Blood is Thicker Than Foamy Water

**Chapter One**

**Blood's Thicker than Foamy-Water**

**"You're sure you have everything, dear?" scoffed Mrs. Potter as they walked into Kings Cross Station.**

**"Yes, mum." James said in a long-suffering voice.**

**"And you have some money for the food trolley?"**

"**Yes, mum."**

"**And we definitely picked up all your uniform?"**

**"Yes, mum."**

**"And you have the key to your dormitory?" ****Chimed in Mr. Potter.**

**"What! I don't remember anything about a key! I read the letter nearly sixteen times, and I'm sure there was no mention of a key! Why does he need a key? Do you think they give key to people who've forgotten them on the train? Oh **_**how**_** could I have forgotten his ****key!**

**Mr. Potter took his wife by the arm. "Relax, just a little joke." He said with a smirk as he received a slap on the arm. "I'm sure James has **_**everything**_**, right son?" James nodded a little sarcastically. "There, see?" he said, ruffling his son's hair, with the tiniest smirk.**

**James had stopped just in front of platforms nine and ten ... the best part of a year away from his parents ... he couldn't decide how he felt, but he knew one thing for certain; Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was going to be interesting.**

**James and his parents walked onto the platform nine and three quarters, which was the only thing James had been worried about, he'd heard terrible stories about whole families who'd chosen the wrong wall. He grimaced at the thought.**

"**Are you okay, dear?" his mother's voice brought him back to reality. **

"**Yeah," he replied.**

**Then the worst thing James could have imagined happened, he had been dreading it for a week, and would much rather have eaten a flobberworm. His mother, in full view of everyone else, stooped down and pulled him into a bear-hug. She seemed to be trying to ****fit**** a years-worth of mothering into the next five minutes.**

**His eyes widened, "Dad!" he pleaded, his mother took the hint and stood up with a frown, "Oh, don't be so funny! Look at that poor boy over there …" she said, gesturing towards a lanky boy with circles under his eyes. His shabby clothes were punctuated by some neatly combed long hair and a nervous expression. He was watching two people walk away; he looked like he would have more company in solitary confinement. **

"**Go and talk to him, dear. You could be looking at your new best friend." James frowned in the boy's direction, but complied … any excuse to get away from constant questioning and embarrassing hugs.**

**After stomaching one more, and a ruffle of his hair, courtesy of his father, he set off with his trolley towards the boy, who now looked fascinated by his feet. "Hi, you alright, mate?" James offered with a grin.**

**The tall boy had looked up immediately when James approached, his face broke into a small smile. "Yes, I'm okay, and yourself?" He realised now that he was closer to the boy, that he in fact had a kind look about him and, with some sleep, he could probably attract some attention from the ladies.**

"**I suppose," said James with a slight smirk. ****"Just escaping the chief mourners over there."**** He cocked his head towards his mother and father, and when he realised they were watching intently, he immediately did the same movement towards the other side, giving the appearance of somebody stretching their neck. **

**The boy hadn't missed this, he gave a small good-natured chuckle, and James decided that he wasn't nearly as hollow and soulless as he first appeared. "What's your name?" he asked, they boy now fully smiled.**

"**Remus Lupin.**** And yours?"**

"**James Potter. So, ****d'you want**** to get a seat on the train? Or are you waiting for someone?" The boy made a sudden scramble of air-quotes and stuttered slightly, this suggested he was afraid to loose James' company, he answered very quickly. ****"No, not at all."**

**James turned and waved at his parents, who waved enthusiastically back and he boarded the Hogwarts Express.**

**He caught sight of a levitating clock in the corridor, it was ten to eleven, and there wasn't a chance in Azkaban that they would get an empty compartment. **

**They walked down the train, peering in all of the windows, there were several compartments filled with much older people, and a seemingly endless row of compartments filled with nothing but first year girls. Finally, in the last compartment, on the left, they saw what looked to be a mix of people who didn't already have a group to belong to. Each person had their own space on either side of them, and they weren't talking. **

**There were three girls, one was looking more nervous than the others, who sat up straight and appeared to be quite confident in themselves. There was also a bored-looking boy, as James looked at him, he seemed to define the word 'cool'; he was leant against the wall with his feet up on the seat, his dark hair fell into his eyes in just the right place to make it look like something deliberate rather than accidental, and he looked bored, but handsomely so. James decided that the girls must have joined **_**him**_** in the compartment. **

**James and Remus looked at each other, and with an unspoken agreement, both entered the compartment. "Alright if we join you lot?" James asked.**

"**Yeah, sure."**** Said the boy, as though it didn't really make any difference, then, with another thought, he looked as though he'd come out of his trance of boredom and looked up at them with a smile. **

**James smiled back and held his hand out. "James Potter."**

"**Sirius Black," the boy said, taking his offered hand and shaking it firmly. ****"And?"**** Sirius continued, turning to Remus.**

"**Remus Lupin," he said, accepting a handshake.**

**James sat next to ****Sirius,**** and Remus sat across from them, beside the three girls. "I'm Morrigan." Said the one closest to him, turning to her, he replied "Nice to meet you."**

"**Isabel Viellard," said the next one along, her eyes boring into Sirius' with half a smile, Sirius returned her smile with a slightly confused expression that was barely hidden by his raised eyebrow.**

**Naturally, everybody looked towards the girl near the window, who was the only one left to introduce herself, she looked as though she would rather be transfigured into a slug than be in the compartment with them. "Lily Evans." She said, a little timidly.**

"**I like your jeans." Isabel said, and nobody in the compartment had any doubt that she wouldn't have said it if it was not true. Therefore Lily smiled and thanked her, and looking more relaxed, started a conversation about fashion, to which Morrigan rolled her eyes and turned to Remus. "So, where are you from?"**

"**The West," Remus replied, smiling at the invite to a conversation, "… yourself?" **

"**The North, have you done a lot of magic before?"**

"**Not really, but I've seen enough of it, are both your parents magical?"**

"**Of course," she said with a slight laugh, "I wouldn't really be fit to do magic properly if they weren't, would I!" The compartment was tensely silent for a long moment. Sirius took a breath to say something with a furrowed brow, but Isabel got in first.**

"**Yes, **_**actually**_**, you would. I'm halfblood, and I can do all the magic I've tried perfectly well, for your information." She said angrily. **

"**Well, you probably can, it's the harder spells you'll have trouble with." She continued, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, who you've really got to feel sorry for is those muggle-borns, haven't got a chance have they!" This was clearly meant to provoke side-splitting laughter. Lily made a quiet noise in the corner, and stared harder out of the window, informing everyone in the compartment that she was without doubt a muggle-born.**

"**Well, at least **_**my**_** parents got round to the 'discrimination is wrong' part of upbringing!" Isabel retorted, her anger clearly rising. A similar expression had affixed itself to the features of Morrigan's face. **

**James and Sirius exchanged a look the screamed '**_**mental note: Don't get on the wrong side of these girls.**_**' **

"**How about you agree to disagree?" ****Offered Remus.**

"**Fine."**

"**Whatever." Isabel snapped, pouting and turning to Lily who was looking apprehensive yet grateful towards her.**

**Ten minutes later, the train had started and picked up speed. The mood in the compartment had lifted slightly, Lily and Isabel were talking about what subjects they would like to take once they had the option, Morrigan and Remus were having what looked to be a very serious conversation about Hogwarts history, and James and Sirius were having an animated yet friendly debate about which Quidditch teams were the best.**

**Just then the door opened to admit a stout boy and another boy who had hair that would not have been dissimilar to Sirius', but it was very greasy and slicked back in a way the made Isabel cringe in disgust, and as she looked at the mad hair of the stout boy, she decided that they weren't even clean enough to be dragged in by the tabby cat she had in a basket on the luggage rack. **

**The stout boy seemed aware that he wouldn't do well asking James or Sirius to move, therefore he turned to his right and looked at Morrigan, "Shove up, please." Is all he ****said.**

**Morrigan simply sighed. "I'll give Miss. Moral-High ground her wish, shall I!" she said almost to herself, casting a scathing glance at Isabel and standing up, she now looked at the stout boy. "You can just have my seat; I'm off to find Bella." She heaved her luggage off the rack. "See you later, Remus." She finished and left the compartment.**

"**Good bye," he replied, a second too late, the stout boy, ****who's**** features were coloured solidly with indifference, now climbed onto the seat next to him, his legs flailing about.**

"**Erm … I'm Peter Pettigrew." He stated, as if throwing out the comment in case anybody cared. **

"**Nice to meet you," Sirius greeted, trying to make the best of a bad situation. "I'm Sirius Black."**

**At this, the greasy-haired boy, whom nobody had really noticed, snapped his head up to look at Sirius. "Black?" he said quietly. **

"**That's right." Sirius replied, his expression hardening, daring the boy to go on. The boy, however, held out a pale hand in his direction.**

"**Severus Snape, it is a pleasure to meet somebody from the noble house of Black." **

**Sirius narrowed his eyes dangerously, a passionate look of defiance blazed in them, James, meanwhile, frowned towards the boy and looked to have had an amusing thought. His voice shook with mirth as he asked "What did you say? … ****Snivellus?"**** Everyone in the room gave a bark of laughter with the exception of the boy.**

"**Severus!" He corrected sharply, and returned his eyes to Sirius, his hand still outstretched. "… ****Snape."**** He repeated pointedly.**

"**You need to understand something, **_**Severus**_**," Sirius answered coldly, "… I am absolutely **_**nothing**_** like my family, okay?" everybody knew this question did not require an answer.**

**Severus withdrew his hand and threw a look of malice towards everybody in the room, then turned sharply in the direction of the door and left, his lip curling.**

"**I don't like him." James and Sirius stated at exactly the same time, there ****was**** a smile and an unmistakable air of understanding between them. **

**This whole scene left a thick layer of renewed tension in the compartment, broken by Isabel, who appeared to have zoned out the entire time that Severus was present. "Who's Bella? She said that like we should know who it is." She said with a frown. **

**Sirius seemed grateful for the change of subject and smiled at her kindly. "I think she means Bellatrix Black, I don't know why she would expect you lot to know her, but I do. Bella's my cousin. Not the nicest witch in the world either. And if Morrigan has decided to affix herself to the … er … **_**gang**_** that my cousin has, it won't surprise me if she ends up in Slytherin." **

**Isabel gave a bit of a mutter that sounded very like '**_**Wouldn't surprise me.**_**' Remus looked at her harshly. "People only know what their parents teach them." He stated angrily, "… from what I could tell, she appeared to be a perfectly friendly person." Isabel looked down, she hadn't intended to make enemies on her first day.**

"**Sorry," she said, giving the impression of a five-year-old who'd just been caught with her hand in the cookie-jar. **

"**Erm … So.**** What are all of your names?" asked Peter. **

"**Sorry," James replied. "I'm ****James,**** this is Sirius, Remus, Isabel and Lily." He continued, indicating each person as he said their name. "I got all those right, didn't I?" Everyone nodded.**

"**Wow, and I was told by a reliable source that the journey to Hogwarts was boring!" Remus exclaimed, earning himself a chuckle from everybody. **

**James rummaged around in his pocket, and after Sirius sniggered, he hastily pulled out some cards.**

"**Want to play Exploding Snap?" he asked the compartment.**

**Everyone made an agreeing noise. Isabel was out almost immediately, soon to be followed by Peter. Next it was Lily and it was left to be a close competition between James, Remus and Sirius.**

**In the end James emerged the winner, and Sirius began exclaiming with laughter how he had cheated.**

"**Any other victims?"**** James said with a smirk.**

**About an hour later, the laughter had died away slightly, and Sirius stood up on the chair and started rummaging around in the luggage rack. The tabby cat of Isabel's stood up in its basket and walked over to him; he picked it up, stepped down and looked to everyone. "Who's is this?" he asked.**

**Isabel looked up from reading the back of a packet of chocolate frogs, she was frantically searching for the amount of calories she had just taken in. "Oh, he's mine."**

**Sirius smiled. "He's cute, what's his name?"**

"**Tabby, not original I know but I think it suits him." **

"**Yeah, especially with him being a tabby cat!" Lily spoke up, causing everyone to realise that she was not as nervous as she appeared. Then everyone looked to Isabel, who was giggling.**

"**Yeah well."**

"**He really is cute though," said Sirius, putting him back into his basket, he curled up and purred when Sirius stroked him. "Anyway …" Sirius said. "… What I came up here for originally… was…" He was feeling around in his bag for something. "… ****this****." He concluded, and took out a Fanged Frisbee, holding it at an arms length. **

"**Wow!" James exclaimed as though all of his Christmases and birthdays had just happened at once. **

**Peter looked mesmerised. "That … is so cool!"**

"**Hmm … Now, who do you want to throw it at?" James looked like he had just grown a very long beard.**

"**I have just the person," Sirius said, his eyes looking up evilly through his soft dark hair. "Joshua Smithe." **

"**Who's that?" Remus asked.**

"**He's a personal favourite of my passionately pureblood parents. The perfect little example of what they want me to be, a snivelling, idiotic git who couldn't be more in love with himself if he was a self-confessed narcissist."**

"**He sounds like the perfect candidate." James laughed. They peered out of the compartment and down the corridor.**

"**Oi!****Smithe!"**** Sirius shouted down the train, one of the compartment doors opened, and out popped the sleek blonde head of another first year, looking supreme in his arrogance. **

"**What do **_**you**_** want, Black?" he said, sneering at Sirius.**

"**I just thought you might want a look at this!" Sirius said, and flung the Fanged Frisbee at him very hard. Sirius then immediately shut the compartment door, they all heard a scream that very easily could have belonged to a girl, and everybody in the compartment were soon in tears of side-splitting laughter. **

"**That … was … hilarious!" James exclaimed, clutching his stomach.**

"**You could very well get in trouble for that you know." Remus stated, but even he couldn't suppress a chuckle, though, arguably, it could have been blamed on the laugh that was emerging from Peter. Who was wrenching his breath from the air so hard that more than one of them was considering asking him if he was an ****asthmatic.**

"**Are you alright?" Lily asked in a concerned voice.**

"**Yes, I … think so." He said, and Sirius decided he had a fan.**

**Just then there was a knock at the door, everyone braced themselves from the retaliation of Smithe and his friends, and James was drawing breath to say something that was probably highly offensive in the direction of the door when it was opened anyway by the fabled '**_**Lady with the Food Trolley**_**'. "Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked.**

**James had quickly shut his mouth, but now opened it again to ask for some '**_**Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans**_**'. Then Sirius got some more Chocolate Frogs, and the only other person to get something was Isabel. "Have you got any Honeyduke's chocolate?" she asked with a smile that James was sure could get her anything. **

"**Certainly Dear, dark or white?"****Asked the Lady, beaming back.**

"**Erm … dark please."**** Isabel said, widening her grin.**

**When everybody had paid for their stuff and the Lady had left, James and Sirius were offering things around, and when everybody looked at her expectantly, so did Isabel, and it was noticeable that this was a new thing to her. **

"**Remus?"**** James said, offering the box of beans to him. "Want to try your luck?" **

**Remus looked at ****him,**** apparently stunned at what he was hearing. "What's wrong, mate? Never had anybody offer you something before?" Sirius chuckled, but he had no idea how close to the truth he was. Remus had never had anything except sneers offered to him by anybody except his parents, he was simply not used to this.**

**Remus pretended to laugh along with Sirius' little joke. "Nno … thank you."**

"**You're sure, you're alright?" Lily asked, he realised the whole compartment had watched him go through this in his mind. **

"**Yes, I'm quite alright." He smiled. "I was just … thinking. Oh look, it's about time we changed into our robes." He said, looking at his watch with more admiration than he had previously held for it.**

**Isabel looked at her watch too, "Ooh yeah, you're right there. C'mon Lily …" The girls fished their robes out of their trunks and departed into the corridor. **

**Once wandering amongst the compartments, Isabel looked at Lily. "So, what do you think?" she asked, her insides had been ablaze for an hour wanting to ask.**

"**About what?"**

"**The guys."**

"**Oh right, I hadn't really … they're nice." She finished awkwardly.**

"**Who's your favourite?" Isabel asked excitedly.**

"**Oh err …" Lily really hadn't thought about this, and was now making her brain work double-time. "Remus seems nice, level-headed and intelligent, y'know?"**

"**Well, I'm torn between Sirius and James, they're so funny!"**

"… **And not a little arrogant."**** Lily added.**

"**I guess so." Isabel smiled at her, and Lily was sure she didn't know what the word meant.**

**They came to a compartment that seemed full of first year girls, and opened the door. "Is there room for two more?" Isabel asked cheerfully.**

**All of the girls looked up, and evidently there was **_**not**_** room for two more, or at least not **_**these**_** two. A girl with pointed features and a dark expression stood up. "Depends … who are you?" **

"**Oh, well hi … I'm Isabel and this is Lily." ****Isabel smiled, apparently unaware of the threatening glances that were being shot at her.**

"**I thought as much," said the girl, Isabel's smile fell from her face, but rekindled slightly as she spotted the long-haired girl that was sat in the corner. **

"**Morrigan," she said. "You remember us, right?" **

"**Oh she remembers you, in fact she told us exactly why she will remember you, little miss peppy-half-blood." **

**Isabel's eyes flashed dangerously. "My name, as I said is Isabel," she replied, "… and I'm guessing you're Bella." Isabel thought back to her previous conversation with Sirius, this girl definitely fit the bill.**

"**Good guess." Said the girl, "So …" she continued, turning on Lily. "You must tell us … how's life as a filthy mudblood?" Everybody in the compartment let out a shriek of shrill ****laughter. All except Morrigan, who Lily was sure bore a bit of apology in her eyes. Isabel gasped and looked horrified.**

"**C'mon Lily, we can find a place around nicer people to change." She said, opening the compartment door. "Oh and Bella …" she added, turning slightly. "I wouldn't be seen dead wearing those shoes with that top." She gave a huge, sarcastic smile and they were gone.**

**Ten minutes later, Lily and Isabel were walking back to their original compartment. Lily felt confused about what had happened, she didn't even know what that name meant. Isabel however now wore a pout, and was walking like her mother did if her father ever came in drunk from a night out. **

**She wrenched open the compartment door and after throwing her things into her trunk, she sat down heavily, waiting for somebody to ask her what was wrong. Eventually it was Peter who took the bait. "What's up with you?" he asked.**

"**Oh, nothing."**** She said quickly, and James could tell that it was anything but nothing. So he said "Are you sure?" **

"**Well, we just had a run-in with **_**your**_** dearest cousin," she said looking at Sirius, "and **_**your**_** best friend." She added, now shooting a look at Remus. Lily could hardly disguise a giggle. She had to hand it to Isabel; she certainly knew how to get the attention she wanted.**

"**Charming, Bella, isn't she?" Sirius sniggered, "Don't read too much into it, Isabel … she probably got wind of you two being mates of mine."**

**This seemed to satisfy Isabel, as she gave no response, and leaned back into her seat with something that resembled a miniscule smile on her face. **

**There was one thought running through James, Sirius, Remus and Peter's mind at that moment: '**_**Women.**_**' **

**At that moment, there was a screech and the train ground to a halt. Lily looked outside the window and a sign was swinging from a post in the wind. '**_**Hogsmeade Station**_**'.**

"**Great! We're here!" James grinned. Remus was also looking out of the window. **

"**It looks cold doesn't it? We'd best wrap up warm." He said.**

"**Yes, mother." James replied. Everyone exhaled a laugh and they left the compartment, dragging their luggage with them. Isabel was having trouble with hers, mainly that there was too much of it, she had her trunk, a bag and Tabby to carry. **

"**Oh, dear.**** Why didn't I think of this before I set off?" She was mumbling to herself.**

"**I'll take Tabby if you want." Sirius offered**** he'd always been partial to cats. **

**Isabel smiled. "Yeah … thanks." She handed him the basket and they, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily and Isabel, all got off the train together. **

**Lily was looking around for where to go franticly, before she spotted a man that could not be missed even in the darkness of the evening booming "Firs' years! This way please!" repeatedly.**

**They all walked in a huge group until they came to a shoreline and a lot of rowing boats. Isabel stared at them wide-eyed, she was sure rowing would be the most arduous task ****she would ever partake in. And James had a sudden look of fulfilled amusement in his hazel eyes.**

**They had to pair up and get into the boats, James went with Sirius, Remus went with Peter and Isabel with Lily, they also realised that just along from them, Morrigan had gotten in one with Bellatrix, and that Severus was alone and looking very small in the boat by himself. **

**Isabel looked most relieved when she realised that the boats were enchanted and were taking the first years across the river independently. It was Lily's turn to have an urgent question answered. "What was with the quick change of heart about the Bella situation when we got back?"**

**Isabel looked at her as though the answer was obvious. "Didn't you hear him? He said we were his **_**mates**_**!" Her face broke into a grin. Lily rolled her eyes and laughed, even though she was quite shallow, Lily was sure Isabel's heart was in the right place really, and decided she had made a friend.**

**Meanwhile, in James and Sirius' boat, Mr. Potter had hushed his voice to a low whisper. "Well, my dad did it, he thought it would be**** err … **_**amusing**_**. But I reckon he never expected me to actually **_**use**_** it, he used to be a bit of a prankster you see. And when he saw it and had the idea … well, let's just say it was bewitched and in my pocket before he'd even stopped laughing."**

"**But what exactly **_**is**_** it?" Sirius asked, looking perplexedly at the powdery ball.**

"**It's a bath bomb, but well … it's a **_**tad**_** more powerful than your average one." ****Said James, trembling with excitement.**

"**How much more?"**** Sirius asked, his eyes widening with anticipation.**

"**Let's see, shall we?" James said, and closing his eyes, chucked it as far as he could. **

**There was a colossal '**_**BANG!**_**', and a few students, Isabel and Lily included, screamed. Right before everybody's eyes, bubbles the size of cars sprung up in the river, and the strong breeze carried them across the water, like some huge, bubbly water skiers. **

**The huge man didn't seem to know where to place himself, and eventually boomed "Se'el down!" at the loudly surprised students. **

**Even though they tried to muffle the noise, the uncontrollable laughter from James and Sirius' boat carried over the din. They had already shared a '**_**high-five**_**' and their laughter was infectious, soon most people were highly amused by the huge, foamy guests that were present on the surface. ****"Nice … one … dad!"**** James choked out, and then clutched at his sides again.**

**After what the huge man decided was the most original journey across the river he'd ever experienced, the students got out of the boats and walked up to the castle doors. The huge man pushed them open and allowed all the first years in.**

**Once inside the Entrance Hall, he paused and turned to the amazed-looking first years – ****who**** were all looking at anything and everything in the cavernous hall. Even James and Sirius wore a look of mild astonishment. "Sorry, I forgo' ter introduce meself. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, I'm gamekeeper here a' the school."**

**Noticing how kindly he sounded now he wasn't struggling to make himself heard, most of them smiled up at him. "Oh an' err, whoever did tha' …" he went on, gesturing towards the doors. "… Ought ****ter**** be worryin', our Headmaster don' miss a trick!"**

**James and Sirius shifted uncomfortably.**

**Then a sharp-looking witch with her hair in a tight bun stepped out of a small door to their left.**

"**Good evening first years, and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My name is Professor McGonagall and I am Deputy to Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster.**

"**In a moment I shall take you into the Great Hall, call you up one-by-one alphabetically and you will be sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.**

"**Whilst you are here your house is to be treated like your family, each house has its own common room and dormitories. You are not permitted to venture into the common room or dormitories that are not those of your own house.**

"**There are two cups that are awarded to one of the four houses at the end of each year, the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup.**

"**The House Cup is awarded to the house that accumulates the most house-points. You will be rewarded with points for good work and personal triumphs. However, you may also loose points for things like late homework and rule-breaking. A prime example is currently floating atop the river." She said, casting a stern glance over them.**

"**The Quidditch cup is more self-explanatory, it is simply awarded to the house that wins the inter-house Quidditch tournament that takes place throughout the year.**

"**Now, if you have any more questions to ask, I'm sure one of the school prefects will be happy to answer them, but presently, we'll go and get you sorted." She finished this speech with an ever-so-slightly bored expression; she looked like she had recited those very same words at least twenty times before.**

**She turned on her heel and the doors opened slowly, this drew the attention of all the older students in the school, ****who**** looked to the new arrivals, some with curiosity, others with amusement.**

**Professor McGonagall walked briskly forward, and the first years were all assembled in front of the staff table.**

**Then the legendary Sorting Hat began its song and proceeded to sort the first years into their houses.**

**When it came to their turns, Peter looked worried and Lily saw Isabel mouth '**_**Hat hair!**_**' to her, but neither heard the word 'Slytherin' being shouted whilst the hat was on their head, and so both visibly relaxed.**

**Both Peter**** and Isabel, as well as James, Remus, Sirius and Lily got sorted into Gryffindor.**

**Morrigan, Severus, Joshua, Bellatrix and her friends all got sorted into Slytherin.**

**An hour after the sorting had finished and the last of the magnificent feast had disappeared from the now startlingly white plates, everybody stood up to go to bed.**

**The first years were told to follow their house prefects to their dormitories.**

**Lily noticed that Snape, Smithe and two of his brutish cronies had lagged behind to talk to Professor McGonagall, who looked gravely interested in what they had to say, Lily saw the Professor give a nod of thanks and bid them goodnight.**

**Isabel appeared at Lily's shoulder. "What is it?" Lily nodded over to where Professor McGonagall was gaining on James and Sirius, who were chatting, blissfully unaware of their impending doom as they made their way out of the Great Hall.**

**Isabel fell silent and watched the scene unfold with Lily from their safe vantage point of next to the doorframe.**

"**Potter, I have just been informed of your **_**hilarious**_** antics including a bewitched bath bomb and the school lake." She plainly stated, making it impossible for anyone to gauge her anger. James and Sirius had abruptly stopped laughing and turned to her. "Have you anything to say for yourself?" she demanded.**

**Seeing no way to charm himself out of this one, James was about to answer '**_**No.**_**' when Sirius spoke up.**

"**I convinced him to do it, Professor. I am as much to blame as he is." He said quietly, giving the startlingly good impression of one who is genuinely regretful.**

**James looked at Sirius, true thanks and liking in his eyes, and gave him a 'sad' smile. "Well that's very admirable of you Mr …" Professor McGonagall began.**

"**Black, Professor. ****Sirius Black."**** He dared to look up as he said this.**

"**Very admirable.**** However, Potter wasn't the only student I had come to see, Fanged Frisbees are **_**not**_** permitted on the Hogwarts Express."**

**Sirius looked dumbstruck. "So," Professor McGonagall continued. "That will be ten points each from Gryffindor and detention for both of you in my office tomorrow ****night,**** and on your first day as well." She said regretfully. "Don't dally, girls." She added, casting a glance at the startled Isabel and Lily.**

"**Goodnight." She concluded, and swept away down a corridor to the right, taking James and Sirius' Tuesday-night with her.**


	2. Just Like Baldrick

**A/N: Hi again!  
I made asmall change to the story, I did a bit of mooching on the net, and it turns out that Lucius would have been in his last year of Hogwarts when The Marauders started, so i have replaced him with a similar dude by the name of Joshua Smithe - not meaning to confuse you guys - sorry! **

**Thanks v. much for the reviews! Keep them comming:D **

**Chapter Two**

**Just Like Baldrick, James has a 'Cunning Plan' …**

**The next morning, Remus awoke with a start; he sat up in his bed quick as a flash, breathing heavily. He'd been having the familiar nightmare of biting people, but this time it had had a twist, there was a new nightmare along with it that he was sure was not going to leave him in a hurry.**

**He had seen everyone he had met on the Hogwarts Express, some were running away from him in fear, whilst the others sniggered and bullied him relentlessly.**

**Remus shook his head firmly, determined to forget the unpleasant images he had just seen.**

**To distract himself, he looked around the dormitory. It was slightly littered with clothes and books, all the occupants had been eager to recover from the long day and get some sleep.**

**Looking at the three other beds in the room, he observed how one might sleep if they were not haunted by horrific dreams.**

**James was in the next bed nearer the wall, he was sleeping lightly, and only the topmost part of his chest was moving with his breathing. Remus also noticed with amusement, that the messiness of his hair, particularly the tuft in the middle which evidently wanted to be seen, was not owed to moving around in his bed. Remus guessed that it was in fact natural and that James must be constantly annoyed by it.**

**His eyes then moved over to the bed opposite James' by the window, in which slept Sirius. Remus had to laugh at the way he was arranged, it looked like someone had dropped him from a great height, and that he had 'splattered' on the bed, his legs and arms were sprawled in all directions and Remus didn't envy the house-elf that had make his bed, magically or not. Under his bed, Remus was sure he saw something move, but he decided it was trick of the light; he wasn't even fully awake yet.**

**And finally, opposite himself, in between Sirius and the door, there slept Peter. He was huddled up to his pillow and Remus, though he couldn't see Peter's face, was sure he was sucking his thumb.**

**When James and Sirius had come in the night before, they'd told him that they were_ already _in detention thanks to the bubble incident. To his surprise, they had found it extremely funny; they even looked to regard it as a tremendous achievement.**

"**Must be a record!" James had laughed proudly. "I mean … we weren't even _at_ the school yet!"**

**Remus hadn't wanted to rain on their parade, and so had kept his mouth shut, however, the question of '_Who told Professor McGonagall?_' had popped into his head.**

**He dismissed the thought deciding it was too early in the day to start plundering the mysteries of tattling, he wanted to see exactly _how _early it was.**

**He looked at his watch, (the same one that had got him out of a tight spot the day before) and realised it was seven o'clock. '_And time to get up._'**

**After doing so, and dressing into his school uniform, (he had took time observing the '_Gryffindor_' modifications) he looked at himself in the mirror, he loved the rare experience of having new clothes that were not ripped, bitten, stained or torn. Then he sighed, realising it was only a matter of time before the immaculate robes were reduced to tatters.**

**He made his bed, sitting on it and looking out of the window next to his friend's bed. '_Wait … his friend's bed? Could it be? These were his friends?_' He returned his gaze to the stone floor, as he knew it couldn't last.**

**Fear hit him as it had in his dream, hot water spread through every nerve in his body, crackling at the ends, it concentrated on his very heart, gripping it tightly as it pulsated faster and faster.**

'**_No!_' he firmly told himself, thoroughly refusing to go to that place. '_No … this is a new start for Remus J. Lupin._'**

**About an hour later when James, Sirius and Peter had joined Remus in the land of the living, (Sirius had been particularly unwilling), they left their dormitory and descended down the stone steps which were too steep for their liking in the early morning, they eventually made it down into their Common Room.**

**They decided to sit on the sofa near the fire and wake themselves up a bit. Peter chose this time to abruptly fall asleep again, and James decided his morning exercise was to wake him up in a panic, telling him that he was needed urgently by Albus Dumbledore himself. **

**He was halfway through the portrait hole and Remus, out of pity, dragged him back to a much more awake Sirius and James, who were recovering from a long fit of shared laughter.**

**Within ten minutes they were down in the Great Hall and tucking into a full English breakfast.**

"**Slow down, mate!" Sirius blurted with wide eyes, Peter appeared to be actually _inhaling_ his food.**

**He looked up with a nervous smile and gave a slight giggle, causing a raised eyebrow from each of the other three boys.**

**Sirius had taken a breath to continue but was interrupted by Isabel. "Morning, guys." They were sure it was meant to sound cheerful, but it had come out positively sulky.**

"**You alright?" Remus asked, earning a smile from Lily, who had landed next to Peter, but momentarily she was frowning at the breakneck speed in which Mr. Pettigrew was dining.**

"**Well, no. Not really. I can't find Tabby, y'know … my cat?" Isabel looked around worriedly, as though she was expecting to miraculously spot her estranged pet under the Hufflepuff table.**

"**Oh," Remus replied. "Well what did you do with him after Sirius gave him back to you?" **

"**I know this sounds really pathetic and stupid, but I don't _actually _remember! I was somewhat preoccupied with your prank to really think about it."**

"**It wasn't me," Lupin answered quickly.**

"**No, sorry … I meant 'you guys' as in the four of you, or at least Sirius and James, anyway."**

"**Oi!" James protested. "Who says it was us!" he was feigning shock, but the smirk on his face was screamingly obvious.**

"**We had _met_ you guys, remember?" Isabel frowned, some of the humour returning to her face. **

**She had decided not to mention the previous night, even though Lily had been trying to cheer her up all morning with jokes concerning the boy's 'escapade'. **

**This humour was quickly replaced by her previous cautious look; she didn't want them to think she'd suddenly forgotten Tabby.**

"**Well regardless," Remus jumped in before James had a chance to retort with a witty and probably mildly insulting comment. "I – _We…_" he corrected himself. "… Hope you find him."**

**Sirius, who had blatantly been too absorbed in his breakfast to listen, turned to Isabel and smiled. (This was proven to be difficult by the bit of bacon he was chewing.) **

**Swallowing, he did a double-take on the girl sat next to him. "What's going on with your uniform, Isabel?"**

**She had rolled the sleeves back on her shirt and robes, her tie was so loose it could have fit two of her heads in it. '_Even heads her size!_' Sirius thought with a shadow of a smile, and her top button was undone, as well as three more below it.**

"**I just personalised it a bit, I haven't cut it or anything though …" She realised nobody really understood a word she was saying. "… Well don't you think that when it's worn '_as_ _it_ _should_ _be_', that it looks, err … what's the word?" She adopted a thoughtful expression.**

"**Smart?" Remus suggested.**

"**Uncomfortable?" Peter tried, resurfacing from his scrambled eggs to catch a breath.**

"**No … frumpy, more like." This strange declaration from the girl was met with a long silence, almost agonising in its nature, nobody wanted to have to answer to _that_.**

**One whole minute went past. Eyes were searching for anything except other eyes; forks were scraping unnecessarily hard on plates in an attempt to make at least a _slight _noise. The general babble of the Hall seemed to fade away momentarily, giving each of the six Gryffindors an intense feeling of tongue-tied-ness in their awkward moment.**

**Lily eventually saved them, "I think it's alright, but it _is_ a little uncomfortable." Everybody seemed infinitely grateful for her conversational skills. **

"**I agree," said Remus heartily.**

"**Mm …" Came the replies of James and Sirius, Peter didn't seem too bothered with the conversation at the table; it was more what was _on_ the table that concerned him.**

"**What's McGonagall doing?" Isabel asked, looking curiously ahead at the Professor as she was sweeping down their tale handing out pieces of parchment to every student alphabetically.**

**They all looked at her, and even Sirius looked pitiful towards the girl this time. "Well," James began, in an amused tone. "What do we need in order to go to our lessons?"**

**Isabel gave him a '_Ooh, I like this game!_' look, and quickly answered after a brief thought. "Err pencils! I mean _quills, _no? Magic! Wands!"**

**The other Gryffindors blinked.**

"**That's made of _paper_?" Remus urged, using his ever-faithful air-quotes.**

"**Books!" Peter said triumphantly, partly because he had finally defeated his mound of food.**

"**Oh, _timetables_." Isabel had gotten there, she looked as though she was proud she had been the '_first to think of it._' **

"**Oh well, only took me three guesses." She smiled.**

"**Yeah, but only because that Ravenclaw was mouthing '_See you in Herbology._' " Sirius, who had been strangely quiet up to now, added this to their conversation, but he didn't take his eyes of the back of the blonde-haired-boy's head.**

**Isabel didn't seem to think this made a difference and had smiled at the boy with blue on his robes.**

**Now she turned to him, "_You're_ feeling very perceptive this morning." She stated, and they all pretended not to be surprised at her use of the relatively _long_ word.**

**Sirius merely frowned, inwardly shrugging.**

**When they finally got their own timetables, they realised one particularly foul thing about them. "We have most of our classes with the Slytherins!" James exclaimed. "Charms, Transfiguration, Potions!"**

"**Well, yeah, but we have Transfiguration with Hufflepuff and Herbology with Ravenclaw." Lily pointed out.**

"**What's first?" asked Isabel, who had only glanced at her timetable long enough to admire her own name before stuffing it into her bag.**

"**Potions," Peter replied, "with the Slytherins."**

"**Oh _brilliant_! You reckon _Medusa _is any good at them?"**

**James and Peter snorted into their pumpkin juice, but Remus spoke up in Morrigan's defence.**

"**You know very well what her name, is." He said angrily. "And with her there it promises to be an intellectually stimulating lesson, unlike one with-" **

"**Mr. Lupin, a word in my office please." Professor McGonagall interrupted, cutting off his furious splurging before it gained any more steam. **

**Remus froze. Professor McGonagall offered no explanation as to _why_ he had to go, she just continued walking, supposedly heading in the direction of her office.**

**Fear stole his thoughts again. '_Oh Merlin. I've just blown it. The Headmaster gave me a chance and I blew it! Before I even got to a lesson!_'**

**Wide-eyed and scared half-to-death, he stood up and walked to the end of the Gryffindor table where the Deputy-Head was currently tapping her foot. **

"**Truly sorry, Isabel." Was all he said before he took off, dragging his feet.**

**He left them all looking shocked, they'd not yet experienced a lesson with him but they could tell he was no trouble-maker. **

"**Oh my god. I'm such a bitch. I didn't mean to-"**

"**No you're not, it's like he was saying himself yesterday, '_everybody's entitled to their opinion_.'" Lily offered to Isabel, though there was no confidence behind her words.**

"**But I just got him in trouble, didn't I?"**

"**Nobody knows that." Said James rationally.**

**People started moving off to their first lesson of the year, and the Gryffindors, deciding Remus wasn't to make another appearance at breakfast, set off too.**

**They walked down the deep stone steps into the dungeons. Lily kept glancing up at the ceiling to ensure there were no spiders, her worst fear was of spiders.**

**James and Sirius, however, found it all brilliant, "What a setting for a lesson!" Sirius was whispering excitedly, he hadn't stopped to think about why it was a whisper, but the first years had fallen into an ominous silence.**

**A broad man with a small bald-patch stepped out of a huge pair of heavy-looking wooden doors at the end of the solid stone corridor.**

"**Good morning first years!" he said cheerfully, eyeing each one of them with a brief interest. **

**His face fell a little, as though he had been expecting something, after a few seconds he continued briskly, "I am Professor Slughorn, your potions teacher. Now, if you'll follow me through these here doors, we can start your first lesson."**

**After pushing them open he turned, beaming. "It's not the most _comfortable _classroom in the school I'm afraid, but as they say, a boring atmosphere encourages a student to listen to the teacher.**

"**Now, my young Gryffindors, I fear the Slytherins do have a slight advantage over you as I am their head of house, but I expect to know you all equally well soon enough.**

"**Two to a workstation please, and seat yourselves boy-girl, chattering- whilst interesting, is no good to you when getting your head around a new subject." His demeanour offered a complete contrast to the spooky dungeon … it was almost funny.**

**At the front-most workstation, positioned also directly in front of Professor Slughorn's desk, Lily sat, and was soon joined by the pale-faced boy that James recognised as Severus Snape, that _charming _fellow from the Hogwarts Express.**

**Next to James there appeared Isabel, who's look of worry had increased tenfold, James guessed that she had added the worry of Remus to the worry of the whereabouts of Tabby.**

**Behind them Sirius sat with Morrigan, who was looking sarcastically at the state of Isabel's uniform.**

"**Problem?" Isabel asked, prompting Morrigan to glance away with an obvious dislike.**

**James and Sirius both controlled their urges to make angry cat noises at the girl next to them.**

**All of the class looked to the doorway when it was intruded upon by Remus, he looked paler than ever, but Isabel could now stop worrying about the worst of her fears: that he was going to be expelled.**

**He walked into the classroom and clearly hated any situation where he was the centre of attention. Nonetheless, his compulsion to not have his first lesson of Hogwarts be taught by a professor who considered him something other than punctual was stronger than his compulsion to quickly sit down and get out of the limelight.**

"**Sorry, Sir. Professor McGonagall wanted to see me, Sir."**

**Slughorn looked up from preparing an exemplary potion.**

"**Oh, not to worry, Lupin. Professor McGonagall told him last night that she needed to see you. Take a seat, oh there's only one left ... well I suppose I'll let you off, go and sit next to that boy, but don't chatter, there's a good lad." **

**Remus was dumbstruck when he realised that Slughorn was being so lenient, but smiled when he realised that Peter was the boy who had a free seat.**

**Slughorn was now adding the finishing touches to his demonstration, and looked to be about to start the lesson, before glancing around the Gryffindors a bit more. "Oh, I _do _recognise some of you."**

**His eye rested on Sirius, who, at that moment in time, was seemingly preoccupied with the construction of his long-awaited pencil-fort. "You _must_ be a Black?" **

**Sirius looked up immediately, leaving the pencil's to roll about the workstation, and nodded. His resentment was only evident to those who had met him. **

"**Yes, you are certainly as handsome as the rest of them. I immediately noticed the family resemblance in Bellatrix too," Slughorn said whilst inclining his head towards the girl in the front row next to Joshua Smithe.**

"**But you … you must be a direct descendant, yes? I must say I am surprised you aren't in my house … anyway, the ladies'll be after you, m'boy!" he grew a smirk, and lifted his gaze from the now annoyed and slightly pinker Sirius.**

"**Ah, Jones … I knew your mother, started school a few years before I left, what does sh-"**

**Slughorn was clearly suddenly shaken by the fact that he could not put Sirius' family or Jones' mother into a potion and make it work properly. **

"**Yes, well …" he spluttered. "- Potions."**

**He proceeded to launch into the 'Start of Year' speech that Lily decided they were going to receive a lot of in this first week.**

**This long-winded, and ultimately boring speech took Professor Slughorn most of the lesson to conclude, and after he'd made sure that his new class had all their equipment for his subject, he let them leave five minutes early.**

**The Slytherins and Gryffindors travelled more-or-less together to Charms. **

**James stayed relatively quiet during this journey, he was deep in thought. '_How could Professor McGonagall have known last night that Remus would that Remus would insult someone this morning? …_' **

"**Hey, Sirius," Isabel was walking beside him. "If you don't mind me asking, what's the deal with you and your family?"**

**Remus, Peter and Lily also seemed very interested in his answer, even James momentarily came out of his thoughts.**

"**I do mind you asking." Sirius replied flatly, speeding up to catch Morrigan.**

**Isabel didn't quite believe her ears and seemed more than annoyed at his response, nobody ever said 'no' to Isabel Viellard. Now she looked like a lobster with a blood-pressure problem, especially when she noticed who he was now talking with.**

**James made a mental note to tell Sirius about Ms. Viellard's anger.**

**The Charms classroom was on the third floor, it was a huge wooden room with a curious stack of books in the middle of it.**

**James noticed that their teacher was in fact perched on top of this huge pile, he looked like a colossal accident with some shrinking solution, he was rather tiny for a person with such authority.**

**Everybody in the doorway started at him. He was clearly used to this reaction. "Yes well done, children, I am small. Now if you will kindly take your seats we can begin."**

**The desks in this classroom were all arranged around the mound of literature, and everybody sat with a friend.**

**Sirius went to sit with James, and Morrigan pulled out the seat on the other side of Black.**

"**Thanks honey." Smiled Isabel as she sat in it before Morrigan had even realised she was in the classroom.**

**Instead, she went to sit next to Bellatrix. **

"**You have a real thing for my cousin, don't you?" she said in an annoyed whisper.**

"**No."**

"**Oh come on! You know, Ms. Morrigan Simare, you have a very good thing going for you … don't ruin it. My cousin is a repulsive blood-traitor, I mean, just look at him, he's a _Gryffindor_. Honestly … you're insane to refuse what _you_ have."**

**Morrigan couldn't be sicker of comments like this. Bellatrix was obsessed, and Morrigan was sure she was not a little jealous.**

**Nonetheless, whatever her reasons – Bella had 'taken Morrigan under her wing'. **

**The night before, when they had left the Great Hall, Joshua had told Morrigan in her ear that he was going to get even with Sirius, and that he'd see them later.**

**Bella and Morrigan had followed their prefects down into the dungeons. '_Surely they can't expect us to sleep down here …_'**

**However, once onside the Slytherin Common Room, she realised that it wasn't so bad, this part of the castle was certainly furnished for the '_upper class'_ of Hogwarts.**

**It had lots of antique furniture and an overall air of importance.**

**She had been ushered into the Girls' Dormitories before she knew it, and discovered she was sharing with Bella and another two girls, Violet and Dawn.**

**Once in her bed, Morrigan reflected on the day she'd had.**

**It had started with a whole lot of driving, going to Kings Cross Station, it had taken her considerably longer than most because she lived up in the North-East, and therefore simply changed trains at Kings Cross.**

**Once there, she had said goodbye to her parents, and looked around for people she knew, she spotted Joshua Smithe, who was standing alone by the train.**

"**Joshua." She inclined her head; it had only been a month since she'd seen him.**

"**Morrigan! I wasn't expecting you for a good while yet. How are you?" he asked heartily, sounding around thirty years older than he really was.**

"**I'm alright, a tiny bit nervous if I'm honest." This was not at all honest. This was a lie. **

**Morrigan was tired and couldn't resist. She knew very well that Joshua had been infatuated with her since the age of around five. **

**But right then she was looking for some attention and she new how to get it.**

**Joshua immediately pulled her into a hug as she was expecting, but only a very brief one, which surprised her, he pushed her away again quickly. **

**She had figured out what he was doing. Joshua Smithe needed a reputation and 'Joshua Smithe' would not be seen hugging girls sympathetically, in fact, had it been anybody else, Morrigan was pretty sure she'd have been laughed at.**

**Though now she decided she wouldn't find it so bad, the idea of being involved with Joshua even partly used to make her cringe. Her case wasn't helped by both sets of parents constantly egging Joshua on.**

**Since Joshua was considered to have next-to-no chance of marrying into the esteemed house of Black, his parents had decided that the next best thing was marrying into the respected Simares.**

**When Joshua, (as young as he was at the time) met Morrigan, he had never questioned the brilliance of this arrangement.**

**Therefore, Morrigan had taken to entertaining his wishes when it suited her, like the situation at Kings Cross.**

**Whilst she had been on the train, two memorable things had happened.**

**One, she had met Sirius Black, an old friend from years ago, but they had grown up and drifted apart, she _had _seen him earlier in the year though at one of his mother's get-togethers.**

**Two, was the incident when Isabel and Lily had come into the compartment she'd moved to.**

**Morrigan fully believed what she had said earlier in the journey about muggle-borns, but her parents _had _at least told her never to use the word 'mudblood' in public.**

**She felt that all Bella had done by calling Lily that was prove Isabel's earlier opinion about Morrigan to be right, which annoyed her.**

**But for the rest of the night she had endured comments about how 'brilliant' Joshua was from Bella, Morrigan could only stomach them for so much longer.**

"**Morrigan! Morrigan …" The aforementioned Bellatrix was saying, suddenly the Charms classroom came back into focus, and Morrigan realised she had spaced out.**

**Eager not to answer Bella's probing questions, she said in a whisper that was a little louder than necessary.**

"**Quiet Bella, I was listening to Professor Witflick- Flitwick." She corrected herself hastily, realising that the whole room was watching her.**

**Professor Flitwick smiled at her, as though he was grateful that someone was paying attention.**

"**Well, I'm glad you _are_ listening Miss …?"**

"**Simare."**

"**Well, Miss Simare, as I was saying, Charms are used in hundreds of situations, the first being …"**

**He continued with his speech, every now-and-then casting a smile at Morrigan, who readily accepted his praise.**

'**_Nothing wrong with a bit of favouritism coming my way._' She thought with a miniscule shrug, she liked favouritism, she felt it put her in her proper place – above everyone else.**

**The same was true with Joshua, and she decided that she couldn't wait to annoy Bella with it.**

"**Well, that just about covers what we will be studying this year. Next lesson we'll learn and practise the '_Wingardium Leviosa_' charm, which is both easy and fun, perfect to start with." He squeaked half an hour later as they were putting their notes into their bags and standing to leave.**

**Morrigan split off from Bella during the break that followed, she went to the owlery to send a letter to her parents, as she promised she would on the way there. **

**She literally bumped into James on the way there; he was still deep in thought.**

"**Sorry" he mumbled with a smile, and then he carried on following the crowd for no reason in particular, Sirius caught up with him. **

"**What's wrong with you, mate? You've been acting funny all morning." James jumped at the chance to share his suspicions.**

"**Well, Remus got into trouble this morning with McGonagall, right?" he asked eagerly.**

**Sirius made an agreeing noise. **

"**Well, when he came back into potions, Professor Slughorn said McGonagall had told him Remus would be late last night … How could McGonagall have known?"**

**Sirius made another noise, and then after some thought, said "Have you ever heard of Divination?"**

"**Yeah."**

"**Maybe that's what McGonagall teaches, I mean, she turned around to walk to him way before he said it."**

"**I suppose that would explain it …" James wasn't convinced.**

"'**Course it does, mate." Sirius assured, using what was to become his trademark grin.**

**By this time, their feet had carried them unknowingly to the Great Hall, and then over to the Gryffindor table.**

"**Oh, by the way, you really annoyed Ms. Viellard earlier." James chuckled, and Sirius exhaled a laugh through his nose.**

"**Well she shouldn't have asked should she? Anyway, about our little detention …" **

**In five minutes they had devised an amusing game involving '_Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans_' and each other, and were quite looking forward to their 'punishment'.**

**Remus was not so enthusiastic about their plan. **

"**You two had better not do that, you know. I mean something like that could land you in yet _another_ detention and that could lead to much worse things like-"**

**Sirius threw his '_Standard Book of Spells: Grade One_' down on the table in front of Remus.**

"**Hey Lupin, look at that."**

**Remus lifted the book and looked at the title of the page it was open on.**

"**Lumos?" He muttered confusedly.**

"**Yeah, lighten up, mate." Sirius grinned, punching Remus' arm lightly.**

**Again, the crowd started to rise from their seats and they guessed it was time to leave.**

"**What do we have next?" Peter asked, prompting James to realise that he had tagged along since Charms.**

"**Erm …" said Sirius, pulling out his timetable. "Astronomy," he began "With Professor … Sinastra."**

**This lesson had seemed to be the most boring lesson possible, they got a speech (that had become the usual), and then they'd spent half and hour learning how to put a telescope together properly.**

**Stumbling out of the corridor that lead to the Astronomy Tower with sore fingertips James was almost afraid to ask.**

"**Lupin?"**

"**Yes?"**

"**What do we have next?"**

"**Transfiguration."**

"**Does that involve a telescope?"**

"**No."**

"**Anything I have to set up?"**

"**Nope."**

"**Is it with Slytherin?"**

"**No, Hufflepuff." **

"**You reckon I can use my wand finally in it?"**

"**Maybe."**

"**Brilliant." **

**Some of the colour returned to James' face, and he walked quite happily along to Transfiguration.**

**It turned out that Sirius' earlier conclusion about Professor McGonagall was actually wrong, and she didn't have a liking for Divination at all when James asked her as casually as he could.**

**She was in fact, the Transfiguration teacher, and whilst she seemed strict, at least you always knew where you stood.**

**Isabel had found herself sat in between Remus and Lily, both of whom refused to talk whilst Professor McGonagall was speaking, and so she sat, bored with a pout until the Professor had given out matches and instructed her class to turn them into needles.**

"**How do I do that?" she turned to ask Lily, who was already sat as though she was ready to sew.**

"**The way she just said. Honestly Isabel, _listen_." She received a pair of eyebrows arched at her in response.**

**Lily just laughed. "Hey, listen, you know when just before James and Sirius got their detention?"**

"**Mhm …" Evidently Isabel had heard enough jokes about this subject.**

"**Well I saw who told McGonagall." Lily continued, quieter than she had before.**

**Isabel's eyes lit up, it appeared that she was most definitely a gossip. "Who!" She almost squeaked.**

"**Severus Snape and Joshua Smithe."**

**Isabel squeaked in a more high-pitched voice now, and moved her hand to cover her mouth, in her haste, the end of the match caught against the worn wood of the desk, setting it alight.**

**At the sight of the flame burning rapidly down towards her nails, Isabel gasped and dropped the match back on the table, setting Remus' carefully taken notes ablaze – he just sighed.**

**Professor McGonagall had extinguished it within seconds and turned on Isabel, "Ms. Veillard! _Do _be more careful!" **

**The first year's eyes just widened.**

"**The same goes for you Mr. Pettigrew; I've seen a few near misses." McGonagall added.**

"**Sorry, Remus." Isabel was pleading. "I'll take some new ones if you want, but she'll have to say it again, I wasn't really-"**

"**It's alright. Only a few words." Remus thought that Isabel was overreacting hugely, he had understood everything anyway, he didn't need his notes.**

"**But after earlier as well" Isabel continued, "I'm sorry these things _are_ accidents, really. I didn't mean to get you in trouble or burn you I promise." She took a breath.**

"**Okay." Remus said, perhaps a little _too _sarcastically.**

**Over the other side of the classroom, James and Sirius were laughing at the whole situation; this didn't go unnoticed by professor McGonagall, who stalked over to them with pursed lips.**

"**Since you boys find it so terribly amusing that Miss. Viellard made a mistake, perhaps you'd like to give the class a demonstration on your _brilliant _Transfiguration skills …"**

**Her eyes lit up a bit, but then darkened a few seconds later when both boys turned their matchsticks into needles, perfectly executing the correct spell.**

"… **Well I suppose this merits five points each for Gryffindor. However, I have not forgotten about last night_, how could I with the bubbles refusing to dissipate_?" She added, muttering almost to herself.**

"**Your detention tonight is at Six O'clock, you are to go to the trophy room and meet Mr. Filch, the caretaker, he will tell you what to do."**

**When the lesson had finished and Remus had decided to discreetly re-take his notes anyway, the Gryffindors went down to dinner.**

"**Four lessons on the first day isn't bad." Peter was saying.**

"**I'm already getting bored of these 'Introductory Speeches'. I mean, it's probably going to be two week before we even do anything _challenging_." Sirius said to nobody in-particular.**

**They sat down to dinner, and the Headmaster stood up.**

"**I trust you have all enjoyed your first day back, or indeed your very first day. There haven't been many changes at Hogwarts over the summer, as I said last night. But that does not mean there aren't _many _surprises around the corner." He allowed a moment for this to sink in, then with amusement, he continued. "Enjoy the feast."**

**The food miraculously appeared once more on the tables, and Dumbledore sat down.**

"**I respect that guy, but he talks like a bit of a loony doesn't he?" James was saying during dessert.**

"**He's only being friendly." Lily insisted.**

"**Unlike McGonagall, was it me or did she seem almost _disappointed_ when you got that spell right?" Isabel said, looking up from her meal.**

"**She didn't want us to be able to because she wanted to make an example of us. You don't pick up too much, do you, Isabel?" James smirked in reply.**

"**What's that supposed to mean!" Isabel snapped.**

"**Nothing." James wasn't stupid by any means; he knew when 'not to go there'.**

"**If you were referring to Transfiguration, I would like you to take into account that I lost my pet this morning." That was the last thing Isabel said to James for a week, she turned around to some second year Gryffindors and introduced herself.**

"**Oh dear, ideas, Black?" James frowned.**

"**Only to put it down to her being a girl. Anyway, what do you reckon our '_punishment's_' going to be?" Sirius asked more excitedly.**

"**Cleaning probably, that's what they had my dad doing – Oh yeah, my dad! I'm gonna send him an owl, in don't think those bubbles are going anyway for at least a week! He'll be so proud!" James looked as though he was preparing to accept a medal.**

**Remus hadn't had the best day, whilst he wasn't _angry _he decided to open up a darker conversation before anyone got _too _happy. **

"**Who do you reckon told McGonagall?" **

**His question hung in the air for a few seconds, before Isabel turned to him, and pointedly not looking at James or even Sirius she said directly to Lupin. "Severus and Joshua."**

**Then she turned around again and pretended to listen to the second years' conversation, whilst mouthing '_He forced it out of me!_' to a disgruntled-looking Lily.**

"**Well if you'd have given me two guesses …" Sirius looked menacingly over at the Slytherin table.**

"**Now usually I'd let it slide," James announced. "- But those two … revenge must be had." He turned to Sirius. "Listen mate, I know you barely know me but -"**

"**Don't bother, I'm in." Black interrupted him with his grin.**

**A few hours later, Sirius and James were cleaning trophies …**

**The job had been given to them by Argus Filch, the caretaker, who seemed to be enjoying their punishment entirely too much.**

"**One hour left, boys." He grinned.**

"**Looks like our '_Bertie Botts detention invention_' is out of the window, eh?" Sirius muttered angrily, dusting a '_Wizard Chess Tournament_' trophy, awarded to '_Gary Goob'. _Sirius snorted at his name. **

"**No talking!" Filch growled, as though noise would spoil the fun.**

**Both boys frowned and went back to dusting, a little while later, Filch's back had been turned for a good ten minutes, and Sirius had dared to show James yet another amusing name he'd found on a crumbling plaque from one hundred years ago.**

**As they were chuckling as silently as they could, James' voice filled the room.**

"**FILCH IS AN INCAPABLE OLD GIT WHO'S _TOO _CLOSE TO MRS. NORRIS!" it boomed.**

**Instantly Filch turned around, anger exploding from behind his pupils, it couldn't have been more obvious that this was the worst thing Filch could _possibly _have heard even if mushroom clouds had appeared in his eyes.**

"**That'll be another hour, Potter." He croaked. "Two can play that game."**

**Sirius and James looked at each other, dumbstruck. James' mouth had not moved at all.**

**When Filch turned back to the old trophy cupboard, barely hiding what the boys were sure were angry sniffles, a ghost appeared next to them, he seemed to be miming manic laughter. **

**James immediately had a hunch and narrowed his eyes in realisation. **

"**Let me guess …" he hissed in low whisper. "- You're 'Peeves the Poltergeist'?"**

"**Another pathetic Potter! Ha!" he sniggered back.**

"**What was the point in that though!" James demanded gesturing towards Filch.**

**Peeves only resumed his mime and then disappeared.**

**James shook his head with a sigh and tried to prepare himself for the extra hour of detention without the vital company of Sirius.**

**When his friend had actually left, he attempted to keep his head down and work his way around the various awards, only spreading dust if anything, but the time alone did give him a chance to contemplate things that he needed to … and suddenly a brilliant idea hit him like a lightning bolt.**

**Sirius made his way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, he had experienced an entertaining day, even considering the introductory speeches, people had been different to how he had supposed them to be on the train.**

**His biggest surprise had been Remus; Sirius had expected him to be exactly what he appeared to be, - a friendly yet timid character with a liking and respect for rules.**

**However, Sirius was sure there was a part of Remus that would love nothing more than to break the rules and live on the wild side, all Sirius had to do was exploit it.**

**Sirius entered his dormitory and crossed to his bed, it looked so attractive after two hours of being on his feet, cleaning trophies that he hadn't won - yet.**

**Just as he made to fling himself down on the bed, there came a rustling noise from in-between his bed and the window, it made him jump and he stood back. **

"**Remus?" The noise came again and something else was added on, Sirius suddenly realised how dark it was.**

"**Pete?" Nothing but silence.**

"**James, did you get out early? How'd you do that?" he tried to bait what he was now sure had to be James into a conversation.**

**Then something jumped up from the shadows and hurtled towards Sirius' face, he fell backwards in an attempt to move. "Aaaaagh! … Huh?" **

**Whatever it was felt very small and didn't appear to be tearing him limb-from-limb. It jumped off him and began to walk towards Remus' bed.**

**Still very suspicious, Sirius stood up and went to the window, drawing the curtains and letting in what little light the half-moon had to offer.**

**He scanned the room and realised that instead, the creature in question was curled up on James' bed, purring happily.**

"**T … Tabby?" The kitten looked up, and jumped down off the mattress.**

**Sirius picked him up and gave a small laugh in spite of himself; he had just been scared by an eleven year old girl's pet kitten. … If the guys ever knew …**

"**How about we just keep this between us?" Black offered to the ball of fur which was currently very interested in his elbow.**

"**C'mon mate, I need to go and make a friend …"**

**He went down the steps that seemed easier to defeat than they had that morning, and scanned the room, he saw Lily.**

"**Hey, do you know where Isabel is?" The girl lifted her green eyes from reading her Transfiguration notes, and took a double take on Sirius.**

"**Oh is that Tabby!" She smiled. "She's upstairs, I'll go and get her." **

**A moment later, A grinning Isabel came hurtling down the stairs and lifted Tabby out of Sirius' arms without a word, and seemed to be checking if he was okay, once she decided her answer was 'Yes' she looked up at him.**

"**Where'd you find him? I thought I'd looked everywhere."**

"**He was in my dorm, I don't know wh- Oh, the House- Elves must've thought he was mine, I brought him over the river, remember?"**

"**Sirius, please don't talk to me like I'm nine, okay?" Isabel sighed, and looked down for a moment. "Thanks." She finished, nodding down towards Tabby, and she turned to go back up the stairs.**

"**Wait." Sirius walked towards the foot of the staircase, and lowered his voice. "I don't get on with my family because they have very different opinions on what is _wrong_ to me." It was his turn to look down. "Just thought I'd tell you that, night."**

**He immediately went up the stairs and into his dormitory without looking up, until he was at on his bed, then he lifted his head.**

"**Aaaaagh!" He realised there was another person in the room, looking straight at him. It was James. **

"**Oh it's just you; I thought you were another bloody kitten …"**

**James knitted his eyebrows together and gave a sarcastic expression. "What?"**

"**Nothing." Sirius mumbled, deciding is had to be down to fatigue that he was so jumpy. "It's been an hour already?" he changed the subject, whilst rubbing his face.**

"**No something came up with the Slytherins … he let me go."**

"**Probably Joshua and Snivellus." **

**They both sniggered at what would grow to be their favourite name for him.**

"**About them, I've had an idea …"**

**(Hi! Sorry It's been soooo long since my last update, but I've been busy … Mocks and the like, grr … but a new chapter is coming soon:D)**


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